In my latest video, I discuss the ways in which dietary stress impacts health and general wellbeing.

Dietary stress can be defined as the ways in which the food we take into our bodies affects the digestive system, making organs such as the stomach and intestines work harder in order to process the food we have eaten. Processed foods are one of the main causes of dietary stress due to the fact that they tend to be low in fibre, higher in chemicals and higher in sugar content. In this way, the digestive system has to work harder to push the food through the body, the organs have to work harder in order to remove any potentially harmful chemicals which are of no nutritional value, and the pancreas has to increase its release of insulin in order to deal with high sugar intake.

Whole foods, on the other hand, are processed much more easily by the body. This is due to the fact that they tend to be higher in fibre than processed foods and have a far higher number of useful nutrients that the body can use. In this way, it does not have to work as hard to remove bad substances, as there are simply fewer to get rid of, and their fibrous quality means they can move through the digestive system much more easily. Whole foods also tend to have a much lower sugar content than processed foods, so there is less stress on the pancreas. Indeed, even whole foods which are quite high in sugar, such as fruit, do not cause the same kind of sugar spikes as processed foods, as the fibre in them means sugar is delivered into the bloodstream at a much slower rate.

Of course, this is not to say that all processed foods should be completely avoided, as they can be an enjoyable treat from time to time. I suggest a balance of at least 80% whole foods and at most 20% processed foods. This should allow you to maintain a healthy and balanced digestive system. For more on the subject, make sure to watch the above video, and subscribe to my Youtube channel for more interesting videos.